Busy Weekend:

Friday:

Dwayne and I went to Rolla shopping.  I really love baby shoes and Cash has outgrown all of his.  We went all over town and couldn't find anything.  Finally found a pair of sandals at PayLess.

I couldn't figure out why my grocery bill could be as high as it was.  Forgot Dwayne bought two batteries for his tractors-oh, that's why it was over $200 higher than normal.  Ugh!

Saturday:

A great day at home.  Did a few odd jobs around the house.  I don't know how I could stuff so much in one closet!

Washed the porch off and cleaned out the flower bed by the road and put down new mulch.

Then I went up to see Mom and Dad for awhile.  They had a good day being outside on the porch.

Went home to take a shower and then Zach came over to spend the night.  Dwayne was over at Vichy cleaning around the lake so we drove over there.  Got there and no Dwayne.  Called him and he was eating a cheeseburger at Sput's.  Good deal, me and Zach joined him and then I didn't have to cook supper.

They went on home in Dwayne's truck and I went to Mike and Susan's to see their kitchen.  Susan and painted and put tile up around her cabinets.  She's is so good at doing things like that.  The tile just matched all of her Southwestern decorations.

Dwayne went to Masonic Lodge and I could tell Zach was getting a little bored.  So we went in to Rolla and got a milkshake at Dairy Queen.  Zach drove.  Imagine a fifteen year old that doesn't like  to drive!  lol  We then went by my niece Kristin's to see her and her two boys, Kaden and Kaleb.  I always love it when I visit as Kaden gets so excited and yells, "Aunt Connie, I've missed you!!" and runs and gives me a big hug.  Kaleb says, "and me".  His favorite thing to say after anything Kaden does.  Before you think Kaden thinks I'm special, he does that to everyone that visits.  His excitement is just so cute.

We came home and watched Titanic.  I had never seen it before.

Sunday:

I went to church and Dwayne and Zach started cleaning the yard.  So many limbs and leaves everywhere.

We had a barbecue that evening for all the April birthdays.  Todd barbecued pork steaks and several of our friends came over.  We had a good time visiting.

Bless Dwayne; he cleaned the kitchen up after everyone left.  I've kind of been having a flare-up with my lupus and have been extremely exhausted.  He helps me so much in the kitchen anymore, almost nightly.  I think he's a keeper.  lol

 

I am grateful for my family and friends and especially for my husband.

Weekly Visit:

Cash and Grandma

 

Our visit didn't go as planned.  Grandpa Dwayne was sick with the flu and had to stay home.

Could be the reason Cash was so happy with Grandma last night.  lol  He is definitely a Grandpa's boy.

Cash is quite the little boy.  I took him outside and he loved watching the cars go by.  His little head would just go back and forth watching.

 

I am so grateful for these weekly visits.

Desmon's Birthday:

It's hard to believe that this little boy who has come into our lives turned nine years old yesterday.
I went down to Chad's for cake last night and to take Des his present.  I had given him a small diesel truck that had pictures of bears, etc and Alaska painted on the trailer, plus five gold dollars.  I don't know which he was more excited for.  When he opened the gold dollars he told Todd he had finally made a discovery.  lol 
It's so good to see him so happy and content.  He was such an angry and hurt little boy for a few months with his Mom coming back into his life.  It's good she's back around him as he needs her, but he spent so much time worrying about her, if she was going to come home at night, etc.  Now that he is settled back in full time at Chad's, he's like a changed little boy.
I am very proud of Chad for taking in a little boy that isn't even his or the boys mother ever his girlfriend; just a neighbor in need.  Chad has a big heart and he clearly loves Desmon.
I had so planned on taking pictures of Desmon and his cake but totally forgot.  Pictures showing happy memories would mean a lot to him. I'll get him this weekend at our April Birthday's Barbecue.

I am grateful for this little boy whom we all love and welcome into our family.

Busy Weekend:

Friday:

I was so tired Friday and was looking forward to a relaxing evening at home.  Well, that didn't happen.  lol

Lizzy and Nathan's step-dad, Timothy Owens was one of the soldiers killed at Ft. Hood, TX last week.  Lizzy needed a funeral dress as the funeral will be in Ft. Hood and there is a possibility they will meet the President.  We shopped at Kohl's and found a really cute dress and an outfit for the trip. We then went to Penney's and she found another dress as they will have more than one occasion to attend.  Do you know how hard it is to find an appropriate black dress for a pre-teen?  We had to finish off our shopping by going to Dairy Queen for a milk shake.  Shopping is hard work!!

We finished the evening by Lizzy modeling her clothes for Uncle Dwayne (who thought she looked entirely too grown up in them...)  We watched "our" shows on TV and I fell asleep in the chair long before the shows got over.

Saturday:

We slept late and lazed around all morning.  Lizzy accidentally got the wrong size of cami at Penney's so we needed to make another trip into Rolla.  Can't have too much shopping.  lol

Went to several stores and then ate lunch at Arby's. We went to my friends, Mike and Susan's house but I forgot they had went to Kansas City for their daughter, Carrie's birthday.  I showed Lizzy their yard and how pretty it is.  Mike made a zip line for their grand kids but I was afraid for us to use it in case we broke something.  Looked fun though.

We were both tired when we got home so both of us took a nap.  Much needed for me, I slept along time.  I woke up to the sound of Zach's dirt bike.  Went outside and Lizzy was on the 4 wheeler.  Mom and Dad were at the end of the road talking to Dwayne where he was cleaning a fence row out.  Lizzy took me for a ride up to where they were.  What fun!  The kids rode for awhile and then time for a lazy Mom supper of frozen pizzas and hot dogs.  Tony and Nathan came over later to pick Lizzy up and Zach spent the night.  Nathan showed me all the clothes he got for the trip.  Lizzy asked if it was okay to be excited about riding in a limo and meeting the President.  I told her it's okay to joy amongst the sorrow.  I think Lizzy will do okay with the trip and funeral, but I still worry about her as she holds things in.  Nathan is not doing very well dealing with Tim's death and all that they're going through.  I think after he sees his Mom, he will do better.  Will be a very stressful week for them.

Sunday:

I went to church and we had a great sermon.  Afterwards, I went to Mom and Dad's.  We've all been so cooped up this winter due to the weather.  I asked Mom if she wanted to go on a ride and she said yes, to Meramac Springs.

Iron Mine

Momma

Mom looks really good in this picture.

She's had a rough winter, health wise.

Dad

Mom and Dad reminisced a lot about our years making molasses at Old Iron Works Days at Meramac Springs.  We had some good memories.

 

We then went to visit my cousin, John Williams and his wife Charlotte.  John has been very sick and in and out of the hospital.  Dad asked if I knew how to get there.  I said, "just hide and watch".  Well, the joke was on me; I took the wrong route.  Rosati is just outside of St. James on the service road.  I forgot and took the interstate and had to backtrack.  Never brag on yourself!!  It backfires!!

I went home and took another nap.  I needed it as I've been so exhausted.  Sure don't need another relapse.  Hard to take it easy sometimes when you're used to being on the go all the time.

 

Had a great weekend of visiting family.  I am grateful for these times.

 

 

Weekly Visit:

Our weekly visit turned out a little scary on the drive to St. Elizabeth.  There was quite a thunderstorm and on Hwy 133 a tree was down over the electric line.  Luckily, we were able to go thru as one lane was still (partially) open.  The poor truckers were going to have a long wait until the electric company got there and take care of it.  April texted saying they were under tornado warning and her and Cash were in the basement.  Everyone was to take shelter.  By the time we got there, the storm was rolling on to the east.

 

Cash loves looking at himself in the mirror.

Our weekly photo.

 

Someday, I plan on lining up the photos and seeing how much he's changed from week to week.

 

I am so grateful for this little guy that has come into our life.

My Grandma:

April 4th is my Grandma Feeler's birthday.  Naturally, I miss her as we all do on our loved ones that are gone.  Grandma treated all of her grandkids as if they were special.  My middle name is the same as Grandma's and I cherish that.

Me-Connie Rebecca, Dad holding Chad and my Grandma-Eliza Rebecca

 

I am grateful to have known the love of my Grandma.

Grief:

I had planned on posting about the rest of my trip on Monday, but it was a busy day at work.
Then news hit that a young man the boys went to school with killed himself (and rode the bus with).
Then yesterday my great nephew, Nathan and great niece, Lizzy's stepdad was one of the soldier's killed at Fort Hood, TX.  I hurt so bad for them.  Nathan is taking it pretty hard and Lizzy says she's just fine, but I know it's really affecting her, too.  She just holds things in.
I know death is a part of life, but I'm having a hard time dealing with so many deaths in just the last couple months.  I know I shouldn't fixate on death, but it seems as if it clouds my thoughts more than it should.  I'm reading a book on faith and dealing with grief, so hopefully I will get this worked out in my head.
Are others of you going through this same thing?  I used to deal with death easier, even with the tragic murder of my friend and her children.  I don't understand why I'm having such a hard time now.

I am grateful for God and the strength he gives me each day.